NOAA Summer Watershed Institute

Summer Watershed
Institute

The Science Outreach Center at Saint Francis University invites middle and high school teachers to participate in the B-WET Watershed NOAA Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Training program. The program aims to facilitate the development of meaningful watershed educational experiences
(MWEEs) through integrative curriculum units, and make the existing watershed curriculum developed by trained teachers while using watershed systems as a context for learning. The program consists of Summer Institute, curriculum development and activities during the fall of 2017, and a student competition at the
Regional Watershed Festival in December 2017.

Summer Watershed
Teacher Professional Development Institute: July 24-28, 2017.

The purpose of the professional development is to introduce teachers to the importance of the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Best management practice (BMP) solutions will be created for addressing watershed issues on school grounds or the local community. Through field trips
and classroom activities the teachers will be introduced to Abandoned Mine Drainage (AMD) geochemistry and passive remediation systems, delineation of watersheds surrounding the school districts, assessment of biological and physical water parameters associated with local BMPs, and connections with Bay
issues. The Summer Watershed Institute will also provide time for the teacher to collaborate and learn from their peers and for practicing their skills.

The Participating Teachers
will:

I. Summer

Participate in the five-day Summer Institute, July 24-28 (Monday-Friday), held on SFU campus in Loretto, PA. Travel to and from the campus will be reimbursed at SFU’s current mileage rate of 54 cents per mile.

II. Fall

Create and implement curriculum units in classes

Identify and work with and Extension Teacher (a teacher from a different discipline who will help implement the systemic study of the watershed)

Organize a field trip for the participating students. (Teachers from the same school will collaborate on a date and site. The site can be an adjoining waterway within walking distance of your school.)

III. Winter

Participate in the Winter Watershed Festival (poster/projects competition December 18th)

Showcasing and competition in 2 categories: Posters and models

Snow dates: December 20th, January 8th, January 10th

The Participating Core
Teachers will receive:

Act 48 training certificates: 40 hours of professional development

$1,000 stipend upon the completion of the program in January 2018

$100 for consumable instructional supplies for making models and class materials

$100 for plants/seeds, plants, or other gardening materials for use in BMP implementation

$300 for water testing supplies and equipment

$150 nonfiction texts related to watersheds

$150 field trip supplies for teachers and students (waders, nets, binoculars, field notebooks)

The Participating School
District will receive:

$160 ($80 per day) for two days of substitute pay (field trip and poster competition)